A model for sonar interrogation of complex bottom and surface targets in shallow-water waveguides

Many problems of current interest in underwater acoustics involve low-frequency broadband sonar interrogation of objects near the sea surface or sea floor of a shallow-water environment. When the target is situated near the upper or lower boundary of the water column the acoustic interactions with the target objects are complicated by interactions with the nearby free surface or fluid-sediment interface, respectively. A practical numerical method to address such situations is presented. The model provides high levels of accuracy with the flexibility to handle complex, three-dimensional targets in range-independent environments. The model is demonstrated using several bottom target scenarios, with and without locally undulating seabeds. The impact of interface and boundary interactions is considered with an eye toward using the sonar return signal as the basis for acoustic imaging or spectral classification.